13 Colonies

One of the things I love the most about my amateur radio hobby is the variety of choices it provides.

And this summer, as I have mentioned, hams have enjoyed a number of Special Events. Yesterday, I talked about Field Day '26. Previously, I told you about the World Cup special event stations as well as America 250.

Tomorrow, ham radio begins its 18th annual observance of the "13 Colonies" special event. This will be my fourth straight year participating in the chase.

Set up much like the World Cup event I previously described, this is an on-air scavenger hunt. Over the next week, stations will be searching for various stations mentioned on the placard below (credit: 13 Colonies Special Event Page). 

As you can imagine, the objective of this exercise is to make contact with a station in each of the 13 Colonies. Two of my friends will be team members in SC and NY, respectively. Many other operators will give the rest of us all the fun task of "chasing."

There are also bonus stations as you can see in the design above. Those will add to the fun.

So, as we observe America 250, what a fun way to enjoy the holiday week than being part of a time honored tradition.

And, an extra bonus...with tomorrow being Canada Day, operators north of the border will host the annual Radio Amateurs of Canada Canada Day contest. Two pursuits to make this week doubly special on the air.

So, you see, in radiosport, the summer of special events fun continues!

JG

America 250 - Swag

Everywhere you go, it seems, you can find logo items for America 250. As we count down to the big day, it doesn't take a lot of effort to find America 250 swag.

You can see the branding on:

Food items

Clothing

Kitchenware

Misc. America 250 Swag

Indeed, much as was the case with America's Bicentennial, you can find America 250 branding everywhere. Even the United States Postal Service has gotten into the act. Check out the current postmarks!

As the week rolls on, there will be bunting and flags everywhere. A number of patriotic events will dot the calendar. And in their own unique ways, average folks will make plans to celebrate a special 4th of July. After all, you only turn 250 once!

There will be parades, back yard barbecues, concerts, fireworks displays and the like. Two of my favorite pastimes - baseball and ham radio - will also get into the act.  

For instance, this past weekend, K4KYN participated in the ARRL Field Day event. Over the course of two days, I talked to other operators (using CW or telegraph) in 45 of our 50 states. And, in so doing, I racked up exactly 250 logbook entries. Not 249. Not 251. I stopped at 250.

Seemed fitting - a nice prelude to the week ahead!

If you're not feeling in the spirit just yet, there's time. Go grab a snack cake, pick up your favorite flavored latte and pour into your America 250 tumbler and celebrate away. 

And check back here all week for #CoachJeff's observance of our country's 250th birthday.

JG

What's up with all the Bs?

Not too long before I retired, my administrative professional said something to me that I have not been able to get out of my head. She observed that every one of the standard issue Tennessee license plates she had seen all featured the letter B.

Since she said it, I keep looking and, yep, every one I've seen has a B.

But before we take a deeper dive into this alphabetic mystery, a bit of historical information. Tennessee cars have sported a variety of license plates over the years. The one I remember from childhood was very plain -- black letters on a white background.

I have this one from my dad (ca. early 1970s) hanging in the K4KYN ham shack. It features a small outline of the state at the top. Earlier versions were actually stamped out in the quadrilateral pologon shape of our state.

A recap of the years:

• In the early 80s, we had one featuring blue and green text on a white background
• In the later 80s and 90s, the TN plate featured blue and red text on a white background
• With the dawning of a new millennium, TN's plate featured a sun rise
• In the 2010s, our plates had a greenish background

And that brings us to the present. The new "B for Blue" plates debuted in 2022.

I saw one UT Vols patriot railing online against the new blue license plates. The person argued that, as Tennessee's flagship institution's main color is orange, so should be the plates. 

One one hand, as alum, I can admit it might be nice to see a little orange around town, ahem. On the other hand, it is not completely representative of the entire state.

You can't win guys like this over with logic, but I almost wanted to point out that most TN public institutions feature blue as a signature color and, thus, if you want to follow his logic, the aggregate enrollment of blue universities far outpaces orange ones.

By the latest numbers I was able the find online (just using four year public schools...so not including community colleges OR private universities and colleges), it's almost 2:1 blue. 

But I digress. 

Today, I'm not really focused on hues but rather clues. Why do the standard issue license plates have a B in them? What's up with all the Bs?

• We have had a number of B-surnamed Governors. Is it a shoutout to them?
• Is the license plate artist Ben, Brenda, Berniece or Bob?
• Is it as simple as "B for Blue"

I spent a good amount of time poking around the internet to find an answer and you know what answer I found? People simply don't know.

I couldn't find a definitive answer on tn.gov page. A few people online opined that the buzzing b's are a result of the plates being given in sequential order and the state doesn't start license numbers with vowels. Others said "I don't know."

I think that is the best answer: I don't know. 

So, if anyone has a definitive answer, please write in to #CoachJeff or send in a comment so we could share with the others. And in the meantime, I'll just keep counting cars.

JG

 

30 Ballparks...for a friend

A few weeks back, I told you about how I was able to finish my goal of seeing a Major League Baseball game in each of the 30 Ballparks. And what a joyous ride it was.

On Sunday, Paul and I met up with a friend, Dave, who is completing the final leg of his own quest.

The three of us met for the Braves' game on Sunday at Truist Park. For Dave, that was ballpark #28. Sadly, the home team did NOT come away victorious. The Brewers bashed the Braves 9-4.

Still, we had a wonderful time. We showed him around The Battery and Truist Park, snapped a number of photos and told him a bit about how Braves fans enjoy the game in Braves County.  

And now, we are happy to cheer him on as he achieves this milestone. Let's call it celebrating: "30 Ballparks...for a friend."

As Dave left Atlanta and drove to Florida to meet up with other friends to see games in his final two parks, I headed home and thought of the last leg of my own journey a year ago.

PNC Park in Pittsburgh was my 30th ballpark, of course. I achieved that milestone last September, when the Pirates hosted the Athletics. And I set the stage for Pittsburgh by attending games in the three Southern California ballparks last summer - Los Angeles, Anaheim and San Diego (in that order).

For my friend, it was Atlanta, then Tampa (yesterday, where the visiting Royals defeated the Rays 12-5) and on to a final celebration in Miami today. Just as the Pirates rolled out the red (ahem...black and yellow) carpet for me and Lisa last fall, I hope the Marlins take good care of Dave at today's ballgame. 

I predict they will.

And a bonus for him, as a Texas Rangers' fan, he will watch them play the Marlins in Miami at Loan Depot Park for his 30th.

As we chatted Sunday, I asked Dave what his first park was and, not surprisingly, he said Texas.

Truthfully, Atlanta Fulton County Stadium was my first ballpark (1971). I didn't have it on my list of 30, though. I counted Truist Park as my Braves' stop instead of Atlanta Fulton County Stadium. And I have seen more games at Turner Field than any. It is also not on my official list of 30.

Perhaps I should consider a countdown of "retired" ballparks that I've experienced and make a separate list for it. Blog planning in real time. Look for that in a future edition of #CoachJeff!

I didn't ask Dave for his other early ballparks; I should have. He did tell us a story about going to a game in Seattle when he was in grad school. He organized a group outing among his grad school colleagues. 

I also know he did a lot of his ballparks in bunches. He talked about the "Mississippi River" segment, among others. It was a KC/STL/Minneapolis trio with College World Series in Omaha as a bonus stop. Seems like there was also a Chicago-Milwaukee combo somewhere in there, too.

For sure, I know his last three: Atlanta, Tampa, Miami. Here's a big tip of the cap to Dave as he crosses the finish line today.

JG

Special Event Station: World Soccer Tournament

Last week on #CoachJeff's blog, I wrote about the World Soccer Tournament and amateur radio special event stations.

Today, I am going to merge the topics.

In celebration of North America hosting the 2026 World Soccer Tournament, the ham radio community has come together to mark the milestone. There are 17 North American cities hosting World Cup matches. During the duration of the competition, special event stations (SES) from each of the host sites are broadcasting.

Just as I described the America 250 SES last week, this is a similar virtual scavenger hunt. 

And I am happy to report that I have "worked" all 17 of the World Soccer Tournament SES. A bonus 18th station will come online July 4 and I will hope to add it to the basket.

As I understand it, stations broadcast on days their respective city is hosting a match. 

Each of the sites will have unique QSL cards as a keepsake. I hope to collect a few of these as well. I did a screenshot to give you a taste of how the cards will look.

When I was active in ham radio in the late 1970s and through the 80s, I don't remember us having events such as this. Maybe there were some similar virtual events but publicity wasn't as easy in the pre-internet age. Thus, it is possible I missed out.

I do know the ARRL Field Day event dates to 1933 and I did that one every year. The 2026 Field Day event is this weekend. I will definitely participate.

Other than Field Day, I just don't remember any big "radiosport" events from my early days. So,  I think the proliferation of these exercises is a really good thing. Anything to spark enthusiasm and get folks on the air is a good thing in my book. 

So it will be this weekend and so it will be through mid July when the soccer world crowns its champion. 

JG

America 250 - Dance Recital

As we get closer and closer to the 4th of July and America's 250th birthday, there will be a number of events associated with the 250th.

On Friday night, I attended a dance recital -- the senior recital for my niece, Marly. The recital, produced by Dance Center West, featured a number of very talented young dancers and singers. 

Marly had quite a strong contingent of supporters in the audience cheering her on and providing support. We also had the opportunity to celebrate the performances of dancers ranging in age from little ones to recent high school grads.

The show's theme centered around America 250.

Dancers performed to the music of a number of America's most cherished patriotic tunes:

• Stars and Stripes Forever
• You're a Grand Old Flag
• Yankee Doodle Dandy
• God Bless America

And a medley of the service hymns, among others. The show stopped, for a moment, to honor veterans after the service hymns played. It was a nice moment for all.

If watching those passionate performances--and hearing that stirring music--doesn't get you in the mood for the 4th of July, I don't know what would.

As a proud uncle, I celebrated my niece showing her passion and demonstrating her creative expression. As a proud American, my heart beat true for the red, white and blue. 

I mentioned recently the ham radio observance of America's 250th. And you can find 250 merch almost anywhere you look. There is much more to come across the country - big fireworks shows and small backyard barbecues. 

And if Friday night's recital was our family's kickoff of the holiday, then I'd say it was a rousing success.

JG

Three #CoachJeffs

I will fully admit this shortcoming: like many Americans, I just don't get futbol (ahem, soccer).

Not that I haven't tried, mind you. I have watched it. Tried to play it (broke my nose in the process). Even coached it during one long fall season.

Fun fact: leading that team, count 'em, were three #CoachJeffs! (I was third in command, as I should've been, with my basic lack of knowledge). My job was general oversight and making sure no one got hurt.

Check and check.

Once (true story), a player called out: "Coach Jeff?" and all three of us turned around and answered "What?"

Still, despite my earlier deficiencies, I am intrigued by the game. When the entire world experiences the magnitude of The World Cup, I think we all become soccer fans. And maybe the big world gets just a little smaller. 

Last Saturday night, for instance, we were at a downtown location to eat dinner while the match between Brazil and Morocco was ongoing and featured on several big screen televisions. The two teams played to a 1-all draw. 

There were fans all over the venue, dressed in the colors and uniforms of their chosen team. Holly and I watched--we people-watched as much as we watched the match--while Lisa finished her meal. Those fans were really into it. And maybe it was fitting that no one went home unhappy.

We were traveling abroad when the FIFA World Cup was staged in 2018 and, earlier, we were north of the border for vacation, while the matches were being played in 2010. Everywhere we went, we saw fans singing, chanting, cheering and watching. 

It was a big deal. Every car in Toronto, it seemed, sported a fan flag as did many homes.

In 2018. I remember watching the final match as France beat Croatia 4-2 to capture the title. We were at a layover in Pearson Airport in Toronto (YYZ). That gave our viewing a bit of an international flair. 

But nothing tops being there in person.

In 1994, a grad school buddy talked me into being his wingman as he drove to Detroit for one of the World Cup matches. The U.S. took on Switzerland that day. Fittingly, today is the 32nd anniversary of our adventure. And the two the teams--much like those in the aforementioned battle outlined in paragraph six--played to a 1-all draw.

You can see by my ticket that a decent seat was much more affordable in the 1990s. 

And here I am (my raiment repping the University of Tennessee Vols rather than Team USA) among a sea of the stars and stripes before the match.

The game was played indoors at the old Pontiac Silverdome. So, at first, you may be thinking "Oh, good. At least you got to be indoors." Well, technically true. But, a sauna is also indoors. 

As it turns out, the Silverdome had no air conditioning. So, you can imagine what a 90 degree day outside feels like inside. Well, maybe just slightly less than 90 degrees!

Another curiosity I remember from that day. As I noted in the lede, many Americans still don't get soccer. And in fact, they did much less so 32 years ago. 

While the Swiss fans sang, whistled and chanted throughout the match–and activated many noise makers (whistles, cow bells, vuvuzelas)–the American fans sat politely and cheered like one might do at a show. It was a party for one fanbase and a scholarly debate for the others.

I got the feeling one group enjoyed themselves more than the others.

But, hey, if our nation's discovery of the joy of futbol is a journey, that was several steps ago. And, you might say an important one. 

I feel sure many youth soccer programs took off in popularity after the U.S. hosted the 1994 World Cup. And, FIFA must've thought we did a decent job since we are hosting the lion's share of the North American matches in this year's event.

I predict North America will do a good job.

So, then, fast forward a few more years and you just might see Americans take a deeper plunge into the sport. You might even find a different trio of passionate #CoachJeffs teaching an ever-growing sport.

They'd surely be more well-suited than a former youth baseball coach.

JG

Rainouts

Last night, during a rain delay in the Braves-Giants game, I was muttering about trying to think of an idea for today's blog. Lisa said, "Why don't you write about rain delays?

What a great idea! Very smart.

And I thought I first liked her just because she was so cute and stylish!

OK. Rainouts. Let's do that. 

By the way, the Braves game (which should have never started because it was played in a pouring rain) was suspended and will be finished today. Go figure.

Enough about that. So, after her comment, I've been mulling over some notable rain delay/rain out moments in Concord Choppers history or from when I was President of the baseball league. 

Here are five scenarios of interest.

Dried Out 
One weekend, we registered to play in a tournament at a near-by ballpark. The fine print of the tournament rules said "Two Game Minimum." We showed up on Friday night and soundly defeated one of the home-standing teams.

On Saturday, we beat a visiting team and, then, played home run derby against a second team from the hosting ballpark. I think the final score might've been something like 18-2 when the umps called it.

That night, as the team gathered for a post-game meal (we often went out to dinner as a group on tournament weekends and after Friday practices), East Tennessee experienced one of those typical summertime line of rain storms.

Sunday dawned partly cloudy (if a bit humid). I logged on to double check the game time for the championship round and I saw a notice the tournament championship round had been cancelled. 

There was maybe a 20 percent chance of rain that day.

So, I picked up the phone and called the tournament director to inquire. "Oh, yeah, it's rained out (clearing his throat). After all the rain we had last night and with the rain we are going to get today, the fields are in horrible shape. No way we could play."

You could tell from his voice the story really wasn't the rain. They didn't want to see some interloper team come to the their ballpark and take home a trophy. So, let the history show, we were dried out.

By the way, on that Sunday, it never rained.

The Grounds Crew
I was always proud of how the group of coaches in our age group were always willing to work. When we reached a new level, we generally left the fields better than we found them. And part of this work ethic related to getting fields ready on soggy spring Saturdays. 

We were putting the finishing touches on such an effort early one Saturday morning. The fields had taken on a serious amount of water overnight. Only a herculean effort of our maintenance chief, assisted by a number of commissioners/coaches, made it possible to get in a full slate of games (slightly delayed). 

As one commish was finalizing work on his field, a team showed up and a nattily dressed coach sidled up to the Commish and said. "Um, do you know when the grounds crew will be finished? I'd like to warm up my team before the game."

"WE, including YOU," the Commish retorted, "ARE the grounds crew."

Clearly, that coach was "too busy" when the Commish put out the call for warm bodies to work on the fields that morning. I don't think he was asked back to coach during the next season.

Run for the Hills
We were playing a league game on our Field 6 late one Saturday when a breeze started to blow in from the outfield. Before long, the wind picked up and the skies darkened. Our game continued.

Within minutes, we started hearing rumbles of thunder off to the west. We mentioned something to our umpire but he was not deterred. Play on.

Just then, we saw a lightning flash and heard a a crack of thunder. I looked at my assistant coaches and we all agreed. I said to Blue, "We're out of here." And we quickly gathered up all our gear and started to "run for the hills."

If you're familiar with the layout of Farragut Baseball, Inc. you might recall Field 6 is the third field "up top." Surrounded by tall trees, it sits roughly a hundred yards or so from the parking lots.

With ball buckets and bat bags in hand, we made a sprint to our cars. We only got slightly drenched before we were safely inside our vehicles.

Turface
A best friend of any grounds crew is drying compound (think: granular kitty litter). One brand you hear about is Diamond Dry. The one we used during my time at FB, Inc is called Turface. It works great but it isn't cheap.

Our maintenance chief had worked a deal with a local trucking firm that was fairly ingenious. The trucks would hit the road to deliver a load and, on the way back, they would load up with Turface. They brought back truckloads and the company sold it to area baseball leagues as a side business. 

And we tapped into that supply chain to keep our fields dry.

Our baseball league was made up of really good men and women who volunteered to spend their time to coach during that era. I'd say 98 percent. And then, you had the other 2 percent. 

Let's just say: those guys weren't in it for the greater good.

After a particular wet period one spring, one of the two percent guys emptied an entire pallet of Turface on one of the fields to dry it up enough so he could hold practice.  When word got back to the league office, he got a phone call from the Prez telling him that manuever cost our not-for-profit organization about $6,000 in product. 

And if it ever happened again, he'd be coaching somewhere else.

Message sent. Message received. 

Metal Bat
I'll close with this story, since the idea for this blog came from the Mrs.

We were playing another weekend tournament when we had to quickly take shelter under a picnic pavillion during a rain storm. Eventually, we went to our cars and left the premises when we realized there was no let-up in sight. That tournament turned out to be a complete wash out.

But before it ended and before we left, one of the more cheeky players on our team ran over to Lisa and handed her his metal bat. "Here, will you hold this?"

Metal bat. Thunderstorm. 

I think she put it under one of the picnic tables. As we established earlier in this post, she's a very smart woman.

JG

America250 WAS

Recently, Lisa and I were comparing the excitement of America's Bicentennial with the somewhat subdued build-up to the semiquincentennial (America's 250).

Of course, there is still time for the hoopla to ramp up. We are still few weeks away from the big day.

One enterprise that has made a prolonged observation of the 250 is the world of amateur radio. Sponsored by the American Radio Relay League (ARRL), there is a special event going on throughout the year to celebrate the event. Branded America250 WAS, the event kicked off in January and runs through the calendar year of 2026.

Throughout the year, each of the 50 states has a designed week in the spotlight (and, in fact, will have a second week later in the year). Hams are encouraged to contact the special event stations (SES) which carry the ARRL's callsign of W1AW with a portable (slash) designation. 

Think of it as an electronic scavenger hunt, of sorts. If you're really all in, you try to collect 'em all.

So far, I have made contact with operators in Maryland, Michigan and Missouri, among others. 

The state of Tennessee, being located in the U.S. call region, is designated as "4" and, thus, signified by the SES call sign W1AW/4.  This is true of other Southeastern states as well. 

In fact, this week is the first of Tennessee's two designated weeks. I am honored to have been operating from the K4KYN ham shack as W1AW/4 all week.

Or in phonetic alphabet-speak, Whisky One Alpha Whisky Stroke Four.

The weeks go from from Wednesday-Tuesday, so today is the last day in Tennessee's first run. To date, I have made more than 200 contacts. Here is a partial sample of one of my recent electronic logs.

It was a real treat for me to include my ham radio friend, Caryn, in one of my logs. And, I was honored to complete a contact with my lifelong pal, buddy and ol' chum, Ed. And just last night, I "worked" three Italian stations in close succession. That was pretty cool.

Literally, I've worked operators from coast to coast - from California to Connecticut - and many parts in between.  And I look forward to logging a few more before I sign off later today.

Our team coordinator has already put the word out that she is looking for volunteers for the next round. Sign me up.

Already looking forward to it.

73 de K4KYN dit dit

JG

Baker Street

During our pastor's sermon at church yesterday, he noted that summers can make us feel nostalgic. And with us now just a few days away from the official start of summer, I have been spending a little time thinking of the summers of my youth.

I've talked previously about that pivotal summer of '78.

That was the summer I immersed myself in a three month intensive study to catch up and learn up about modern pop and rock music. 

It was one of those beloved summers before things got busier. None of us could drive or hold part-time jobs. In essence, it was the last summer of childhood before we transitioned into young adults. 

With endless hours to spend, the songs on the radio were the soundtrack for the summer.

None was more prevalent than Gerry Rafferty's hit, Baker Street. Known for its iconic sax solo, Baker Street climbed to #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 that summer where it sat for an agonizing six weeks without making it to #1. Always rooting for the underdog, I was hoping my enthusiasm could nudge it up one more spot but, sadly, it was not to be.

Still, I love hearing the song anytime it comes on my Sirius/XM and it is a must-listen.

In literature, of course, Baker Street was home to fictional detective Sherlock Holmes from the works of Arthur Conan Doyle. And, on that rue, you can even find a Sherlock Holmes Museum, among other venues.

Fast forward to the summer of 2014 (gosh, is it possible that was 12 years ago?). Just coming off this year's vacation, I have also been nostalgic about previous getaways.

My family saved up for our first trip abroad with London as the first destination on the itinerary. Because of my love for the song (and awareness of the importance of the thoroughfare), I hoped to pose for a picture with the street sign of the aforementioned artery sometime during our travels. 

As we rode The Tube, we reached the Baker Street stop. Alas, because of ongoing construction, we could not ascend to the aforementioned destination. So, the closest I could come to achieving my goal was a photo at the subway stop.  

Much like the song I referenced earlier, both journeys ended just shy of the finish line.

Maybe there is some wisdom to be gleaned. It's not always bad to be a bridesmaid. It's not awful to win the silver medal. Once, during a lengthy hiring process, we hired the #2 candidate.

One of the Choppers best achievements was to earn a huge third place trophy on a weekend when all the elements lined up against them. And they celebrated to beat the band.

A number two hit on the pop singles chart is no trivial matter. And when the song still gets heavy airplay nearly 50 years later, it's easy to see it is one of the classics. 

JG

Travel Log: Vacation '26 (Part 4 of 4): Quebec

 Editor's Note - This is the fourth of a four-part series summarizing our wonderful vacation of 2026. I will return to #CoachJeff's regular format next week.

After we finished the New England portion of our 2026 vacation, we headed north to Quebec City. Lisa and I celebrated our 40th wedding anniversary earlier this spring. Our honeymoon trip took us to Quebec City 40 years ago.

So, it seemed appropriate for us to retrace our steps as a part of our on-going anniversary commemoration.

Because the historic district of Quebec City is a UNESCO site, very little has changed since we visited in 1986. According to the UNESCO website:

"The area of the Historic District of Old Québec, designated by the provincial authority as the site patrimonial du Vieux-Québec (Old Québec heritage site), is legally protected under the Province of Quebec’s Cultural Property Act, which was adopted in 1963. Its boundaries were established by provincial decree in 1964.

"Since its inclusion on the World Heritage List in 1985, a number of buildings in Old Québec have been added to the list of properties protected under the Cultural Property Act, including the Site historique et archéologique de l’Habitation-Samuel-De Champlain, the Ursuline Convent of Québec and the archaeological reference collection of Place Royale."

Anyway, as it applies to us, that is a comforting thought. 

Of course, the waterfront area adjacent to Old Town is dominated by the impressive Chateau Frontenac. Part of our visit included a stroll thru its lobby.

Other highlights of our short side-trip:

• Shopping for Canadian treats and trinkets
• A walking tour of the Old Town area
• Enjoying a meal at one of the restaurants we visited in 1986

Holly and I also had an opportunity to practice our French, though most of the people we encountered switched to English when they discovered we weren't Quebecois.

Anyway, our side trip was a nice, nostalgic add-on to cap off a wonderful vacation.

JG

Travel Log: Vacation '26 (Part 3 of 4): Fenway Park

Editor's Note - This is the third of a four-part series summarizing our wonderful vacation of 2026. I will return to #CoachJeff's regular format next week.

You didn't actually think you'd get through a week of blog posts without a mention of baseball...did ya?

Well, for those who were worried (and even those who weren't) today's post focuses on our day at Fenway Park. When I wrote the piece summarizing my quest to visit all 30 ballparks back in the spring, I noted that the classic parks - Wrigley, Dodger Stadium, and Fenway are in a class by themselves. And after our day at the corner of Landsdowne Street and Brookline Avenue, I'm more convinced of the fact that ever.

And here's a bonus: It just so happened that my favorite team, the Atlanta Braves were the opponents for our vacaation baseball day. So much the better. 

I will confess it was hard not to root for the home team, however. 

The Braves won the game in convincing fashion, 10-2, thus depriving the contest of any drama. Ronald Acuña Jr. burst the game open with a grand slam over the Green Monster. in the sixth inning. At that moment, you could feel the New England air deflate from the crowd. 

Normally, I would have been sad along with the Red Sox faithful but not on this day. I didn't chop and chant as some Braves fans did that day. But I did cheer.

Apart from the game itself, I took time to admire this venerable structure that opened in 1912.

Some highlights from the day:

• Paul enjoyed a Fenway Frank
• We strolled the grounds outside the park
• We even sang along with "Sweet Caroline" in the 8th inning

I'd say all of that adds up to a full day and a rich experience.

When you are fortunate enough to enjoy such a rewarding vacation, it's hard to pick one moment or one event as your favorite from the entire trip. But it sure would be hard to bet against a beautiful spring day at Fenway.

JG

Travel Log: Vacation '26 (Part 2 of 4): Arthur's Way

Editor's Note - This is the second of a four-part series summarizing our wonderful vacation of 2026. I will return to #CoachJeff's regular format next week.

In yesterday's edition, I hinted at my family's ancestral roots. Today, I'll tell you one of the driving forces behind why we went to New England for our 2026 Vacation.

In the 1630s, our family's patriarch, Arthur Gary, made the Atlantic Crossing. Along with his wife Frances and his two oldest sons, William and Nathaniel, Arthur landed in Nantucket, MA and settled in Roxbury, a suburb of Boston. A third son, Samuel, was born in the New World. 

Born and baptised in 1599 in Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire, England, Arthur became a town leader once he settled in Roxbury. His son, William, also became a town leader.

Later, William's son William was born in Prince George County, Virginia, thus beginning our family's Southern migration. First to Virginia, then South Carolina. And on to Northern Mississippi/West Tennessee. Fourteen Generations. I'm in the 12th. My adult children are in the 13th. My cousin's son recently welcomed a baby girl earlier this spring. 

The 14th generation of Garys in America.

But, I digress. With all due respect to southern states, the #CoachJeff focus today is on Massachusetts!

In tracing Arthur's way a bit further, we found he passed away at the age of 67 and was buried in Roxbury in 1666 in the Eliot Burying Ground. His wife, Frances Warman Gary (also spelled Fransis, in some references) passed away a few years later in 1672. Sbe was also buried in the same cemetery.

During our last trip to Boston (2019), we took an Uber ride from downtown to Fenway Park for the Red Sox Memorial Day game with Cleveland. If we didn't drive just past the Eliot Burying Ground, we were awfully close. According to Google Maps, the Eliot Burying Ground is 1.8 miles away from Fenway Park. 

Sadly, we didn't know Arthur and Frances were buried in Roxbury when we made that 2019 trip. In fact, I think Holly ran across that fact sometime in the following year.

So, you see where I am going with all of this. Holly's fact-finding informs the "sequel" to our Boston trips. (Or whatever the third installment is as, technically, this was our third Boston trip. We were there, first, in 2007).

Anyway, in planning Vacation '26, we knew we wanted to build time for a couple day-trips from Southern Maine to Boston for lineage and line drives.  Once we determined how close the two entities are co-located, it made sense to bundle them. And we knew we needed to visit Arthur's grave and pay our respects.

Visitors to the Eliot Burying Ground actually needed to reach out to the City of Boston Parks and Recreation department in order to gain access. I made that contact a few weeks in advance. So, during the day of our visit, we were set. Gray, rainy skies in the morning gave way to electric blue in the afternoon.

So much the better.

We didn't have a record of where to find the graves of Frances and Arthur. So, upon entering the space, the four of us decided to fan out. After we had covered all parts of the graveyard with no success, I pulled up the listing for Frances in Find-a-Grave.com and saw there was a small building in the background.

That helped us orient ourselves to the location.

Find-a-Grave also noted that Arthur's stone was partially broken off and was unmarked. So, finding the tombstone for Frances was the key. And, sure enough, with the building in the background of the online photo, we honed in on the location.

It was a spiritual moment. 

Right in front of us was more than 400 years of family lore and text etched on the stone told the story. 

Frances Warman 

Aged 71

Dyed 1672

 

Can you imagine? Someone etched those words on that stone some 354 years ago. And the text is still legible today. The moment was moving, to say the least.

We all paid our respects. I said a few words. Then, I offered up a prayer. 

The prayer thanked God for keeping them safe during their travels; served as a devotion for their bravery; included a benediction on behalf of 14 generations in North America that have survived and prospered over the centuries. 

We owe a lot to that courageous couple. And on a brisk day in Boston, a group of modern Garys made their own pilgrimage to pay tribute. 

JG

Looking ahead: More on our 2026 visit to Fenway Park in tomorrow's edition.

Travel Log: Vacation '26 (Part 1 of 4)

Editor's Note - This is the first of a four-part series summarizing our wonderful vacation of 2026. I will return to #CoachJeff's regular format next week.

Somewhere way up the in our family tree, the Gary family migrated south from New England. Thus, for years, our northern European constitution melts in the sweltering summer sun. I thought about that Saturday as I worked outside amidst the heat and humidity!

All that to say: while many vacationers take to the sand and surf for their annual getaways, we Southern Garys have always enjoyed exploring refreshing cool climates when we are on holiday. Such as it was for Vacation '26.

Back to our New England roots, so to speak. 

Our base of operations was a small cabin along the shores of Southern Maine. Comfy, but rustic. Just the right amount of space for the family and conveniently located in York, Maine. 

During the summer of '07, the four of us were visiting Boston and decided to make a day-trip up the coast to Maine. Along the way, we discovered Nubble Lighthouse (formerly known as Cape Neddick Light). The first time we were there, it was mid July but you'd never know it. As we were playing on "the savage rocks," the lighthouse foghorn sounded just before a thick fog rolled in.

Nearly 20 years later, the four of us describe that day as magical. And, we've been back to the location several times since then.

Most recently, last week, we explored the park on the nubble, we hiked up the street to have some yummy ice cream and we worked our way down the rock formation to the edge of the shore.

No fog this time but it was still a fun day.

Around York, we also:

• Enjoyed a couple local restaurants
• Did some souvenir shopping
• Visited a local thrift store

We also drove up the coast a short way to Kennebunkport and saw where the Bush brood--former Presidents and Governors and all the family--spend summer vacations. What a special place.

Mostly, we enjoyed our time at the rustic cabin: reading, snoozing and just being together. Talk about a relaxing home base for our travels. 

Looking ahead: Tomorrow, I will tell you a little more about my ancestors and our New England history.

JG

Happy Birthday!

Today, I want to borrow the #CoachJeff airwaves (as it were) to send out a special Happy Birthday greeting.

The birthday greeting goes to my sister, Lisa. In our family, we call her "Lisa Bear" (as in the Momma Bear, Poppa Bear and the Lisa Bear).

• Sweet
• Creative
• Artsy
• Kind

A wonderful mother to two beautiful daughters. And a great baby sister.

Here's hoping she has a special day. Couldn't ask it on behalf of a nicer person!

Happy Birthday Lisa!

JG

Programming Note - I am just returning to town from a wonderful vacation. Next week, I will do four special #CoachJeff "Travel Log" editions to recap our travels. Regular format will return a week from Monday.

Failure Brings You Freedom

I'll bet you didn't have a Taylor Swift lyric in a #CoachJeff blog post on your bingo card.

But here you go...B-I-N-g...

Back in the winter, I found myself driving a lot and listening to my Sirius/XM while the smash single "Opalite" was racing up the charts. And I found myself really enjoying the song. And really leaning into the line mentioned into today's title.

Failure Brings You Freedom.

I've been thinking a lot about the notion of grit recently. Maybe that is why the line resonates.

During my baseball coaching days, I saw so many instances in which parents wanted to shield their youngster rather than having them deal with minor nuisances or discomfort. I wrote about this during the earlier iteration of #CoachJeff.

When our team was still finding its way, I had one dad basically tell me his son wouldn't be coming back to the team for a second season because, well, we weren't winning. And, after all, winning is fun!

Coincidentally, after the kid bounced from team to team over the next few years, the dad strongly hinted they'd love to come back once we started consistently winning. Ahem.

We didn't have any openings at the time...

But even though we had stepped up to a more competitive league, some parents were still seeking comfort. One mom asked if we were still doing snack time; another parent asked me about participation trophies for the fellas. 

Uh...no.

But the topic isn't just relevant in the old Chopper Nation. It's true off the field as well.  Some folks tend to lean into the drama. Lisa actually wrote on this topic some years ago. Check out her post here.

I have heard a number of people in my circle talking about how hard things are. How can we cope with it all? When it rains it pours!

In my book, those thoughts might be temporarily soothing, but they don't problem-solve. Solutions develop when you actually deal with the discomfort, power through them and work the problem. 

And, when you succeed, not only is that euphoric in the moment, it builds confidence. 

The dad who bailed on the Choppers (before we were the Choppers) wasn't willing to go through another season of learning (and losing). But if he had been willing to stick around, what a great message that would have taught "Junior." The folks who did stick with the ball club during the lean years really enjoyed the hard-earned success that eventually came.

So, that brings me back to my original point. Failure brings you freedom.

I think about how awful that romantic break-up felt when I was 20 years old. And a year later, I met my future wife.

Failure brings you freedom.

I think about the early years when Lisa and I ran a small newspaper. We eventually decided to close the paper because we just couldn't make the finances work. But, that experience catapulted us ahead of our peers into great jobs early in our career.

Failure brings you freedom.

It's a time-honored lesson that plays out over and over.

So, when you are up against it sometime, just remember the line. Maybe hum it to yourself. And power through.

I predict you'll be pleased with the results. B-I-N-G-O.

JG

Gud DX

Last weekend, the world of amateur radio celebrated the CQ World Wide WPX Contest.

Many serious radio sport contesters and casual "chasers" filled the airwaves with the goal of logging as many stations as possible. Sponsored by CQ Magazine, the stated goal of the contest is:

The WPX Contest is based on an award offered by CQ Magazine for working all prefixes. Held on the last weekend of March (SSB) and May (CW), the contest draws thousands of entries from around the world.

One of the popular activities in the ham radio hobby is the pursuit of DX and a contest offers a great opportunity to do so. You can run the dial and, in short order, contact (or "work") stations from a number of different nations in short order.

For me, it is always a thrill to know that my radio signal has traveled over the oceans to be received by DX stations.

DX is the abbreviation for distance in ham radio.  Or put a slightly different way, talking to an operator in a far-away land. 

There is some wiggle room as to just what constitutes as far enough to be DX. For me, I'd say anything outside North America qualifies. 

For the record, there are 340 "entities" around the world. The website Clublog ranks them in order of rarity in its "Most Wanted" list.  As I review the list, the most common of the least common nations I've not yet worked is Mauritania (listed at #192 on the Most Wanted).

Just one slot above Mauritania is St. Barthelemy (sometimes shortened to St. Bart's). St. Barthelemy is a overseas collectivity of France in the Caribbean. 

The other day, I received a QSL card in the mail from a German operator who was set up on St. Barthelemy during the winter. 

So, by virtue of that confirmation, I was able to check off it off my list. The German op congratulated me on the accomplishment. Kind words, indeed. In ham radio lingo, it is known as "gud dx."

Collegiality is one of the nicest elements within the hobby and you often find it in the pursuit of gud DX.

It is not uncommon for operators in northern, wintery climates to find a sunny destination to set up for a while. They call it "operating in holiday mode" and these ops are happy to work you. No doubt that was the plan for him.

And, quite honestly, there are a number of hams who travel to far off destinations, set up and give the rest of us around the world to opportunity to log another entity.

Among the 340, I have "worked" 227. It's hard to imagine me getting over 300. But, it is sure fun trying.

For the record, the most rare nation I've confirmed is Bhutan (#55 on the list). 

Where does the U.S. on the list? If you guessed #340 out of 340, you'd be right.  Guess there's just a lot of us operators in America. Still, I like to think that many DX operators are just as excited when their radio signals are received in the states.

JG

Men With Hats

Last week, I introduced you to our two cats - Scottie and Kells. When we first got them, they were fearless. 

Guests to the house were greeted naturally like the comings and goings of the residents of the colony. But then, change happened slowly. And dramatically.

We noticed the visits of friends and family resulted in fast exits to the basement. And any introduction of vendors or service providers to the abode prompted a frenetic mad dash.

Then, it happened.

When a vendor came last summer to service the HVAC, the tabby siblings retreated to the basement and took their usual position behind the furmace.

Bad move.

What they didn't know (and where their misculation quickly became clear) was that the repairman would be working on the outside of their hide-out. 

• Banging
• Grinding
• Drilling
• Sawing

And more odd fumes than a feline's heightened sense of smell could bare.

From that point forward, enemy number one at our house: men with hats.

You see, our HVAC rep wears a particular type of hat. I have one of them myself. Great for keeping off sun when working outside. They are quite popular.

I've seen them labelled as being "a fishing hat" or "a sun hat." Either way, I found a display of these lids at a local retail establishment. 

I have to be careful not to wear mine around the skittish creatures. In fact, for a few days after the aforementioned incident, I was also branded an enemy. For that week, any man (hatted or othewise) was to be feared. Hats, still, are judged with complete disdain.

Eventually, the terror wore off. And, then, we enjoyed a return to a hat-free normalcy.

But it is a new normal. And it is so different from our previous cat, Roger, who was known by some as "The Mayor."

For the new guys, there are only four acceptable additional members of the cats' colony - mother, father, sister, brother. Those four plus the tabbies complete the list. Any other visitor is scrutinized quickly and dismissed as unworthy company.

• A knock at the door? They gone.
• Holiday gatherings?  They're out.
• People looking after them while we are on vacay? No way.

Guests come. The quick retreat begins. Fortunately, when most folks show up, they are generally men (or women) without hats...and not preparing to bang or saw.

JG